Francis said he was "delighted" with the Jubilee of Communicators, the first major event of the more than 35 that will mark the Holy Year and which began on the 24th with a Mass at St. John Lateran and concluded with the Sunday Mass of the Word of God, celebrated by the Pope in St. Peter's Basilica.
The Pope's presence on the podium was very brief, about five minutes: "In my hands I have a nine-page speech. At this hour, with my stomach beginning to churn, reading nine pages would be torture. I will give it to the Prefect. Let him communicate it to you".
The Pope's words
He said a few words "a braccio" (on the spur of the moment) and thanked the communicators for their work, without leaving a provocative question: "Your work is a work that builds: it builds society, it builds the Church, it advances everyone, as long as it is true. "Father, I always say true things...". - "But you, are you true? Not only the things you say, but you, in your inner self, in your life, are you true?". It is such a great test."
He concluded his brief speech by saying that everyone should communicate "what God does with the Son, and the communication of God with the Son and the Holy Spirit", affirming at the same time that communicating is "a divine thing".
If his speech was brief, his greetings to the people were not. Francis spent 50 minutes greeting communicators from all over the world, at some points prompted by shouts from the audience: "This is the Pope's youth!
The full text of his speech was published on the Vatican websiteIn his address, the pontiff stressed the importance of courage to initiate the change that history demands and to overcome lies and hatred. "The word courage comes from the Latin cor, cor habeowhich means "to have heart". It is that inner drive, that strength that comes from the heart and allows us to face difficulties and challenges without being overwhelmed by fear."
On this Sunday, the Pope invited the entire Church to to dwell on the five actions that characterize the mission of the MessiahThe day's Gospel is based on: "to bring good news to the poor", "to proclaim liberty to the captives", "to give sight to the blind", "to set at liberty those who are oppressed" and "to proclaim a year of the Lord's favor".
"It is a Jubilee, like the one we have begun, preparing us with hope for the definitive encounter with the Redeemer. The Gospel is a word of joy, which calls us to welcome, to communion and to walk, as pilgrims, towards the Kingdom of God," the Pope reinforced.
The Jubilee of Communicators
On Saturday the communicators crossed the Holy Door in a moving procession along the Via della Conciliazione until they reached the altar of the Chair of St. Peter, where the faithful received the blessing.
Before their meeting with the Pope, the pilgrims gathered for a cultural meeting in the Aula Paolo VI, with a dialogue between the Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, Nobel Peace Prize winner in 2021, and the Irish writer Colum McCann. The conference was followed by a musical performance by violinist Uto Ughi, who played with his orchestra pieces by Bach and Oblivion by Astor Piazzolla, an Argentine composer dear to the Pope.
In the afternoon, the "Dialogues with the City" were held, in which different points of the city hosted conferences on communication and faith. It was the first great test of Rome's readiness to receive pilgrims from all over the world during the Holy Year, and the first meeting of Francis with the main public. The next will be the Jubilee of the Armed Forces, Police and Security, February 8-9.
Journalist in Rome
